updated 01:10 pm EDT, Mon August 25, 2008

Verizon anti-iPhone tract?

Verizon Wireless is distributing a guide to sales agents in a bid to retain customers tempted by an iPhone 3G, a leak claims. The sheet, labeled "3G iPhone Myths," attempts to challenge key selling points of the iPhone, which in the US is carried only by AT&T. The guide notes, for instance, that AT&T's HSPA (3G) network covers "only 40-50%" of Americans, approximately half the amount handled by Verizon's EVDO Rev. A technology. Similarly, while it is now cheaper to buy the actual iPhone hardware, Verizon observes that the extra $10 per month on data plans from AT&T means that, by the end of a two-year contract, the 3G iPhone ultimately costs more than the original 2.5G model, without even the benefit of text messages.

Verizon further comments that the iPhone cannot do MMS messaging, vocal turn-by-turn navigation, or music downloads via 3G as well as Wi-Fi.

The guide provides a somewhat distorted picture however, as EVDO Rev. A is typically somewhat slower than HSPA, and it is believed that Apple may be able to add turn-by-turn GPS through a software update. Verizon's Premium data plans also include unlimited text messaging, but cost $10 more per month than the new iPhone 3G plans, which have the option of fixed-quantity texting bundles.

One major point is that the iPhone can't send a Pic Text message. That is a feature I commonly use and the iPhone can't even do that (and yes, I have verified this) -- you can only send pictures over e-mail... but not to other phones.

Between 40-50% is a margin of 10% but if you double it you get a margin of 80-100% which is a margin of 20%. But...if AT&T's coverage is truly the higher 50% and Verizon's coverage is the lower 80%, then the difference between them is 30% or, put another way Verizon's coverage is 60% greater than AT&T's but not double. See, you can get figures to say just about whatever you like. If you take AT&T at 40% and Verizon at 100% then Verizon have 150% more coverage than AT&T or 2.5 times the coverage. Moral? Work it out for yourself!

I thought this was funny....let's all ignore the big white elephant in the room (iPhone) and pretend it's not there. Let's face it...the iPhone is the buzzword in cellular right now, and is causing churn amongst the carriers. When I got my iPhone, the guy at the Apple store said it was his 12th T-Mobile port that day (July 11th). When I asked who else he ported, he said a few VZWs and a lot of Sprint.

Certainly not a scientific or accurate poll, but it's what I heard when I got my iPhone.

is not which (or for that matter how many) OTHER folks have coverage, but whether YOU have coverage. Unless you travel a great deal and go to remote locations the question should be am I covered in MY home town.

Well, Verizon isn't saying anything untrue. I've got an iphone 3G in the NYC area and I can't connect to the internet--ever--over 3G. I'm not gonna pay $30 for nothing. Verizon has the best service but no iphone--sigh.

verizon tried to sell me their data coverage in my hometown saying I was "fully covered" They were correct that I was fully covered, just that it was so slow and pitiful I couldn't even log-in to email. ATT's isn't great in my (non 3g) area, but it's a lot better than Verizon. Of course, Verizon only does this after they figure out they can't put out a phone that will actually COMPETE.

If you like lots of apps, prepare to watch your per month fees shoot through the roof (or pay a lot up front for apps you can find for free on the iPhone.) I was looking at the Dare (their big iPhone "killer") and if you want one of their crappy apps, it's around $4/month or $7-$8 outright PER APP! I don't want to even think about how much I would have spent on the equivalent of the 50 apps I've downloaded... Not to mention - downloading a song (from a more limited selection) through the phone costs $1.99...

dliup said: "BTW, for those who fail geography, America is NOT United States alone. The continent of American consists of North and South America, from canada to Argentina. What idi*ts."ha ha ha. North America and South America are continents. There is no "continent of American." Citizens of the United States of America are typically called Americans, and the country is typically called America, shortened from "United States of America". No other country on either of the two continents has the word America in its name and is not shortened to America. A Canadian or Mexican can be a North American, but not an American. A Brazilian or Peruvian can be a South American, but not an American.Sorry, that is just the way it works out in common usage,